by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — On or around St. Patrick’s Day in the southern Catskill Mountains of New York State one thing that can be counted on at Monticello Raceway is the track’s annual St. Paddy Pace, a race exclusively for drivers of Irish heritage.

And this year is no exception.

On Monday, March 17, eight drivers, with all or some Irish blood in their veins, will jump up behind a spirited pacer and race for victory in the Mighty M’s St. Paddy Pace and the bragging rights that go along with a winning drive.

However, this season there’s an added dimension to the event in that there are two fathers and sons competing. Hall of Fame horseman Jim Doherty and his son Michael, along with Jimmy Marohn, Sr. and Jimmy Jr. will do their best to outdo not only their kinfolk, but the other Irishmen in the contest.

Track odds-maker John Flynn rates Ray and Lorraine Morgan’s Miss Bala Slipper, from post position two, as the morning line favorite. She’ll be handled by top trainer John McDermott, who is coming up from the Meadowlands and will be looking for his second St. Paddy Pace triumph. He won the race in 2005. But McDermott’s pacer is by no means a stick out in a very competitive field.

John Gilmour, won won the St. Paddy Pace in 2002, has drawn Karlyn Farms Estates’ Karlyns Sarah B, who will come into the event with a 2:00.3 victory under her belt two starts ago and could pick up all the marbles. But post six may be an equalizer.

Dr. Brian MacNamara, with Howard Schiff and Gary and Roberta Decker’s Call Shawnee, may pose the most serious threat to the morning line favorite and to Gilmour’s charge. The 5-year-old mare turned in a good trip in her last outing, finishing second in 2:01.3. She will start from post position four.

From a quick glance at the program the father-son duos may be in for a long afternoon. But as Yogi Berra is known to have said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

Jim Doherty has drawn the rail with Tom and Susan McGuiness’ Sakra Bliss, who hasn’t won a race in two years, but his son Michael (who won the event in 2001) may fare somewhat better with Just Luck Stable’s Commissioned N from post three. She was a 1:54.3 winner last year and is down in class though she shows nothing in seven seasonal starts.

Of the Marohn family, Jimmy Jr. may fare the best with Ben Versaci’s Katy’s Finale from post five, but she’ll need a good trip to be the contest winner. Jimmy Sr. on the other hand (who won this race in 2006) drew Richard Roadarmel’s Polar Queen, a longshot non-winner this year with post seven to boot.

Having to start from post position eight, Jordan “the Kid” Stratton may have to reach deep into his bag of tricks when he drives Peter Lutman, Jr.’s Fox Valley Trisara to prevent it from being a long afternoon for both him and his pacer.

“There’s no doubt that the drivers in the St. Paddy Pace aren’t racing top stock but any way you size it up it figures to be a very competitive race because all the horses seem, at least at this time, to be of equal ability,” said Eric Warner the track’s director of racing. “And we have to thank our local horsemen for their cooperation in helping us present the race.”

Like post positions, driving assignments were drawn by lot.

Post time for the Monday, March 17, matinee program is at 1:10 p.m. and the St. Paddy Pace is race number six on the 10-race card.